


The Runaway Lady

by badskin



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, alternate universe - outlaw queen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-02
Updated: 2014-09-06
Packaged: 2018-02-15 22:16:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2245287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/badskin/pseuds/badskin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed--or is it all he really wants?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Robin Locksley did not believe in fate.

It was true that life was like a game of cards. You were dealt a hand to play with, but in the end, your skill is all that mattered. It was the way he’d acquired the financial empire that spanned two continents, the ranch high in the hills in Nottinghamshire, the penthouse in New York, the beautiful women who warmed his bed—although acquiring them required no skill at all.

They had come to him since he’d turned 16, more than a dozen years ago. He ran away from home since his mother died and his father re-married and how the life his father wanted for him, as an Earl, as his successor, as their family had a descent of Royal Nobility, he did not want any of it. He wanted to make his own name, and when his father did not approve of him entering business, he left home and never looked back. He’d found work as a rancher just outside Nottinghamshire. By day he rode horses, by night he rode the rancher’s wife.

"Gorgeous," she’d whispered, as she undressed him.

Robin smiled as his silver Learjet swooped over the Texas landscape. The lady—Marian had taught him much. How to please a woman. How to make her want to please him. How to ease himself, gently, out of a relationship when it grew stale, as all relationships eventually did. He fell in love with her, but he could never be with her.

His smile faded. Either she had taught him enough, or he had not been as good pupil as he’d imagined. Otherwise why would Regina Mills have been the first woman to leave _him_ before he’d tired of her?

It wasn’t ego that made this fact troubling. It wasn’t that he wanted her back, either. Hadn’t he know it was time to end things? Six months with one woman was three months too many. That had always been his rule; he still had no idea why he’d deviated from it but he realized he had, he’d begun to wind things down. More flowers, more gifts; fewer phone calls, fewer intimate evenings. That had been the plan, anyway, but somehow, it had gone wrong.

Robin folded his arms, his frown deepening to a glower.

One weekend, when he was away, Regina had vanished from his life.

What sort of woman left a man without a word? No note. No phone call. Nothing but a record voice saying that her telephone number was no longer in service.

Robin had gone to her apartment, in a part of SoHo that was still a slum as far as he was concerned—she’d refused to give it up even though he’d offered to move her closer to him, on the Upper East Side.

"Sir Locksley?"

He found the place empty. He’d had to hire a private investigator; after all, she could have been ill or hurt. It had been the right thing to do. The surprise was not that the P.I. found her but that he found her in Texas. Cooly urbane, Regina Mills had left the city, had left him, for ranch called Granada. As it happened, Robin knew of the place. It bred some of the finest horses in the world.

A man who believed in fate would have found that interesting. Robin had simply found it convenient.

Among other things, he was a rancher. It was only logical he'd improve the bloodlines of his horses by adding a Granada-bred stallion or mare to his stock.

"Sir? You said you wanted to take the controls when we neared San Antonio."

Robin looked up. His pilot was standing beside him, a polite smile on his lips.

"Yes." Robin cleared his throat and rose to his feet. "Thank you, Jack."

He ducked his head as he went through the cockpit door, then he buckled himself into the pilot's seat. He liked to fly, liked the combined sense of freedom and control it gave him. It was always propitious way to start a business trip, and that was all this was.

He'd do a little horse trading with Albert Spencer and if, in the process, he saw Regina, if he found himself alone with her, if he were still curious enough to give a damn... maybe then he'd ask her why she had left him.

Not that he'd wanted her back.

Hell, no, Robin thought grimly, and took the jet down toward Granada and whatever was in store for him there... had he been foolish enough to believe in fate.

* * *

The silver jet swooped down over Granada and touched down on Spencers' private airstrip. The landing was quiet and uneventful but the black stallion in the small paddock nearest the stables snorted and danced with terror.

Regina, who'd been working with the horse most of the morning, barely had time to grab its bridle and hang on.

"Damn it," she said through gritted teeth.

All this effort spent soothing the animal, talking to it, letting it grow accustomed to her, and now some idiot in a shiny toy had all but ruined her hard work. The same idiot she'd probably be stuck with for the weekend, somebody with too much money, too much machismo, and too many people to do his bidding.

Someone like a man she'd left almost three months ago, but why ruin the day by thinking about him?

The horse nickered softly and nuzzled Regina's shoulder. She smiled, dug into the pocket of her jeans, and offered him a chocolate mint.

"Okay," she said, "You're entitled to a treat."

The stallion took it delicately from her outstretched palm. She looked past him, to where a plume of dust rose lazily against the cloudless sky, proof that the plane had landed. It had to be that Eastern big shot, flying in to buy a stallion. Or a mare.

"He didn't said which," Albert had told her, with a grin. "That's your job missy. You got to help him figure out."

Help him, indeed. Regina led the horse toward the stables. Men with enough money to own planes and buy Spencer-bred horses didn't need to bother themselves with the down and dirty details of life. They could snap their fingers, bark out orders, behave as if they owned the planet and everything on it, the way Robin...

"Damn it," Regina muttered again. The horse shied and she patted its neck. "Easy handsome, I'm talking to me, not you."

Why was she wasting time thinking about Robin Locksley? He was out of her life and she was out of his. That was the good news. That she'd made the first move was even better. Even if it means walking away from her dream as a model. It had been the only possible move, to save even a vestige of her pride.

Regina slipped the bridle from the stallion, patted his muzzle and shut the gate to his stall.

Why think about the man who wouldn't have spent a moment thinking about her? Oh maybe he'd have wondered about her a little, but only because she'd put a dent in his precious ego. Except for that, he'd be glad she was gone. He'd been planning to end their affair. The signs had all been there to read.

She blinked as she stepped out into the sunlight. She knew she should have never have become involved with him in the first place, but he was such a charmer, and sweet and yes, handsome. Yes, he was gorgeous, they said, sexy and incredible, but he went through women like candy, her fellow models she'd worked with had warned her. But she took the risk and when she first saw him, she didn't even knew him but she was attracted, and not just because of his status, but she saw him beneath the businessman, the tycoon, and he made her feel special, made her laugh and she felt connected to him, yet -

_He'll break your heart._ One had said, but that wasn't true. Robin hadn't broken her heart; you had to love a man for that to happen, and she'd never loved Robin. Never. She was too wise for that, and if it still hurt to think about him, if she sometimes imagined how it would feel, if he came after her...

"Hello, Regina."

The earth seemed to tilt. Her heart and soul knew the deep, lilted accented voice,  but it wasn't possible. Robin couldn't be here. He couldn't be.

"Are you afraid to look at me?"

She was trembling, but she knew better than to let him see it.

"That's stupid," she said, and managed to sound as if seeing him again wasn't sending her pulse into an overdrive.

"Why would I be afraid?"

Regina took a deep breath, fixed a polite expression to her face. Then she turned around and looked at the man who had been her lover until a few months ago, the man who had awakened her to passion.

He was wrong. She wasn't afraid of seeing him again. She was terrified.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants?

Regina wasn’t afraid of Robin, physically. As bigger he was, as powerfully male, she knew he would never, could never hurt her.  
  
But she hadn’t expected the sight of him to hurt so much. She thought she’d forgotten the rugged masculinity that radiated from his long, lean muscled body; forgotten those dark blond hair that felt like silk in her hands; the shiver she would get when his stubble and beard touched her skin; the piercing blue eyes that could see into her soul; the straight nose and wide, mobile mouth capable of such drugging kisses when he made love to her…  
  
No it hadn’t been love, it had been sex. That was all he wanted to give; all she wanted from him. Hadn’t she told him so? Pleasure. That was what they’d both sought. No entanglements, nothing to distract either of them from their careers.

  
It was just that, sometimes lying in his arms after he’d spent himself in her, she’d felt lonely. Unbearably lonely.  
  
She’d almost admitted that to him one night.  
  
 _"Milady?" he’d whispered. "You’re so quiet. Is something troubling you?_  
  
 _"No," She’d said, and that was good because, soon after he’d gone back to England without her. He’d never left her before, not in the six months they’d been together, and when she added that to the other subtle changes in their relationship, she’d realized he was getting ready to end their affair._  
  
"Milady," he said now, in a way that made a mockery of the endearment, "I take it you’re not pleased to see me."  
  
Regina looked into Robin’s eyes, saw the coldness in them and her heart hardened. He had been her lover. Now, he was a stranger. He had only come after her because she was the first woman who’d walked out on him.  
  
"What are you doing here, Robin?"  
  
A tight smile lifted the corner of his mouth.  
  
"As always, you are direct and to the point."  
  
"I would appreciate the same courtesy from you."  
  
"Of course." He looked around him with studied ease.  
  
"This is Granada, isn’t it?" he said politely.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, then, I’ve come to see Albert Spencer."  
  
"For what reason?"  
  
Robin folded his arms. “Are you his secretary?”  
  
"No."  
  
"Then it’s none of your business."  
  
"It’s very much my business," Regina snapped. "I’m not a fool. I know why you’re really here."  
  
A slow smile curved in his mouth.  
  
"Do you," he said flatly.  
  
"Yes. I do. And I’m not interested."  
  
"In what?" His brows lifted.  
  
"Ah, You think I’ve come for you."  
  
She felt a flush tinge her cheeks. “I didn’t say that.”  
  
"You didn’t have to. It’s there, in those eyes of yours."  
  
She started to turn away when he reached out, caught her wrist.  
  
"I hate to disappoint you, milady but I haven’t come to take you back."  
  
The heat in her face burned like a flame.  
  
"That’s good, because I have no intention, ever, of going back."  
  
"Such self-assurance."  
  
His hand tightened in hers; he drew her closer. She could see the gold flecks in his eyes, the flicker of a muscle in his bearded jaw.  
  
"Such righteous indignation, milady. As if you were the injured party, Not I."  
  
"You injured?" She laughed. "Its your ego that’s injured. Robin. Look, if it makes you feel better, you can tell people you left me."  
  
"Damn it, Regina!" His eyes burned now with blue fire. "Do you think I care what people think?"  
  
"Let go of me!" Her mouth thinned as she tried to twist free of his hand. "I left you because I was tired of you."  
  
"Liar."  
  
"I know you can’t believe it but that’s how it is. I never wanted to see you again. I don’t want to see you now. Just—just get back on that plane and—"

"Well now, Miss Mills, what kind of hospitality is this?"

Regina swung around, Albert Spencer was strolling toward them, his bushy white eyebrows raised.

"Locksley," he said, and held out his hand, "Good to meet you."

"Robin let go of her wrist. "And you, Sir."

"I take it you and the lady are old friends. ” Albert grinned. “Makes it even better that she’s going to spend the weekend showing you around.”

"No," Regina said, "no!"

"Yes," Robin said, and from the quick flash in his eyes, she knew there was no way out….

* * *

Regina sat stiffly on her horse, her back as rigid as iron rod.

Robin, riding just behind her, wondered—for probably the 1000th time—why in the hell he had come after her.

What did it matter, who had left whom? It had been time, past time, to end their affair. And he was certainly not going to demand she tell him the reasons she had left him.

Did a man really want to hear a woman enumerate such things?

Robin narrowed his eyes. The trail curved like snake as it wound up into the trees; there was a long drop to the right but Regina paid no attention. She sat in the saddle as if she’d been born to it.

His mouth twisted.

This was the woman he’d met at a charity ball at the Plaza, this woman when she met was being cornered by a man who was probably a fan of hers, knowing she was a model, whom he tried to help but she said she didn’t need any help and she can handle her own. She was sassy and classy and he can’t help but be taken by her beautiful almond eyes, those red lips he always wanted to kiss. That night he asked her out and he felt like he hit the jackpot when she agreed to dine with him at the Four Seasons. He had taken her to Monaco, where she’d chatted easily with royalty; he’d watched her charm officials at a Washington gala. He knew her to be elegant, beautiful and sophisticated.

Now, she was wearing a cotton shirt, faded jeans and scuffed boots. She had answered all his questions about the Spencer stock with intriguing familiarity while handling a horse the size of Texas with little more than soft words and softer touches—and handling him with icy disdain.

He felt as if she were two different women. How as that possible? more to the point how could he have only known one? He would have wanted to know this side of her too. She can really handle herself well, mostly in a nature, outdoor surrounding like this.

Robin’s horse picked its way delicately across a cottonwood dead fall. Regina moved out far ahead, where the trail opened onto a flat, wide plateau. He urged his mount to move forward and caught up with her just as she drew back the reins.

"You wanted to see the mares." She spoke tonelessly, not looking at him but at the meadow at the foot of the plateau.

"Well, here they are."

Robin dragged his eyes from Regina, followed her gaze. Horses grazed far below them, muzzles deep in the summer grass. The animals were delicate and beautiful, but not as beautiful as the woman who sat on her horse beside him.

"They’re all Arabians," she said.

He smiled, knowing her polite statement meant she didn’t trust him to know very much about horses.

"Yes. I prefer them. That aura of fragility, belying an inbred strength and stamina, especially in the mares…I find it most appealing."

Her eyes met his. A faint pink of color rose in her cheeks.

"Yes, she said. "It is. It’s one of the characteristics the Spencer line has built upon."

"You aren’t a Spencer."

"We’re talking about horses."

"How do you know the family?"

"Didn’t whoever you paid to find me give you a complete report?"

"Such hostility, milady."

"Such curiosity, Robin of Locksley."

"I simply find it odd you should go from modeling in New York and the world to riding the range here in Granada."

Regina sighed. “I was born here. I left when I turned 15 and lived in Maine with my father and moved to New York to support my own when he died. My mother is the Spencer’s housekeeper. I fell in love with horses since I was a child, there was a boy who taught me everything I should know about these lovely creatures…”

She had no idea why she even shared those with him. When before she didn’t even open up about her past. She flushed. He hadn’t.

His horse whinnied, tossed its head. Robin leaned forward, stroked the arched neck and the mare responded as any female would do to that gentle, yet possessive touch.

Their eyes met, and what she saw set her blood on fire, just as it had the fist time. She looked away, dismounted, and looped the reins over a low-hanging branch.

"There are 100 horses in that herd," she said briskly. Leather creaked behind her.

"I can point some of the ones Spencer would be willing to—"

"Regina," Robin said huskily, and without thinking about the consequences, she turned and went into his arms.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants? 
> 
> A/N: I apologize in advance that Robin may somewhat be impatient, bad-tempered here, but do understand that he is somewhat desperate here because he really wants Regina back. And may I just explain that this is the age of R/R where supposedly they were about to meet at the tavern ;)

This is what Regina had really feared.

That Robin would kiss her…

And that she would respond.

She didn’t want to, but how could she resist him? It had been like this from the beginning. The cool, silken brush of his lips turning hot, then hotter still as the kiss deepened. The taste of him, a rich, clean sweetness, like cold winter days and hot summer nights blended into one. His scent—still the same, the usual Swiss Army Forest perfume he wears, overpowering her senses, getting her dizzy and weak in the knees.

She heard himself whimper, heard Robin’s answering groan. He swept his arms around her, drew her close. His heart pounded against hers; his body hardened and she felt her own softening in response, felt the flowering dampness between her thighs.

“Milady,” he whispered, and she rose to him, looped her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the kiss, to what she dreamed of each night since she’d left him because yes, she dreamed of him, yes, she still wanted him, yes, she loved—

Regina stiffened and tried to tear her mouth from Robin’s, but he wouldn’t let her.

“No,” he said thickly, and kissed her again, framing her face, caressing her cheek, one had at the back of her neck, drawing her closer, holding her sweetly captive. Boneless, she let herself melt into him one last time before she pulled away again. When he tried to stop her, she pressed his hands against his chest, turned her face to the side and, at last, he let her go. She was trembling. How could he still have this effect on her? She had left him; she had eliminated him from her life. He was bad for her, he was everything her mother had warned her about, probably what all mother’s warned their daughters about, and yet, oh and yet—

"Why did you run away from me?" He reached for her again, his hands bracketing her shoulders, his eyes hot and dark.

"I returned from England, and you were gone. No note. No message. How could you do such a thing?"

"It was—it was time. To—to end things. We’d both said—"

He kissed her before she could stop him, his mouth crushing hers, silencing the lie, because it was a lie; she couldn’t deny it any longer, not to herself.

"Don’t," she whispered. She pulled back, clasped his wrists.

"It’s over. Just accept that, and go back to New York. We said—"

"What we said was that our relationship would end, when it was time. But that time hasn’t come yet, milady. Surely, you know that now."

"It wasn’t a relationship," Regina said, hating herself for the tremor she heard in her voice, the tears she felt stinging in her eyes.

"It was an affair." Robin smiled slightly.

"Why are women so hung up on words?"

"Women," she said bitterly.

"Is that how you think of me, Robin Locksley? As one of your ‘women’?"

"No, of course not. It was a figure of speech, milady."

"And don’t call me that! What is it, a—a generic term, so you don’t have to remember the name of the ladies you’ve been with?"

"Regina." Robin frowned, as if he were confronting a jigsaw puzzle with a piece missing.

"What is all this nonsense? Must we analyze everything? All that matters is that you still want me—"

"That I still want you?"

"Yes." It was so obvious. Couldn’t she see it. He smiled, put a finger under her chin.

"What could be more important than that? And I want you too."

She swung at him. It was a fast, wild blow and he dodged it easily, but that didn’t keep him from staring at her in disbelief. Regina? His cool, sophisticated Regina, balling up her fist and trying to sock him in the jaw?

"You are an idiot and a bastard," she snapped, and her fury stunned him so completely until she’d stormed away, scrambled onto the back of her horse and galloped so fast out of sight.

* * *

Damn Robin for making her so angry! Who did he think he was, telling her that she still wanted him? She didn’t. So he still wants her and it was just that he’d always known how to kiss her so that she felt it, straight down her toes. So that ones kiss wasn’t enough, anymore than one touch, one feel of his hands on her skin was enough…

"I hate him," she said through her teeth.

"For God’s sake, Henry!"

The Spencer’s housekeeper came bustling out of the pantry.

"Do you want to take the door off its hinges? Then you will complain when I tell you I need one of the me to fix…Oh."

Cora stared at Regina.

"I thought you were Henry. That kid was always slamming—"

"I know who Henry is, Mother."

Regina said dryly. She strode to the refrigerator, yanked the door open, then shut it so hard it rattled. Cora raised an eyebrow.

"Is something wrong, my dear?

"Yes! I’ve been dealing with an idiot, a man who flew here to buy horses from Albert."

Regina opened a cupboard door, peered inside, then slammed it shut.

"With all the cooking and fussing and shopping you do, I’d have thought there’d be a bottle of water in this place."

"I do my job," Cora said calmly, "nothing more. As for water, you know these people are not as fussy as city people. You know our water comes from the well." She opened the faucet, filled a glass, and handed it to her daughter.

"Why are you so upset?"

"I’m not upset." Regina snapped, and downed the water in one long swallow. Droplets of it moistened her lips and she wiped them away with the back of her hand.

"I’m tired, hot, and thirsty."

"Tired, hot, and thirsty, yes."

Cora took the glass, rinsed it, and placed it in the drainer.

"Tired ever since you returned here."

"I have some kind of virus, that’s all."

"No virus lingers this long, dear."

"Mother, please. I have things on my mind."

"Upsetting things, and do not bother to tell me I’m wrong."

"For God’s sake, Mother…"

"Do not use that tone with me, Regina." Regina sighed deeply.

"Look, let’s start again, okay? I don’t want us to quarrel." Her lips softened, curved into a smile. "As much as we have many disagreements in the past, I love you. You know that."

Cora sighed and held out her arms. Regina went into them.

"I only want the best for you," Cora said softly.

"I want you to have a better life than I had. Surely you know that."

"Yes, I do."

"You are not a naive miller’s daughter, to be seduced by a man’s lies. You are an educated young woman with a fine mind, and you would have had a teaching certificate if you had not decided to drop out of school and had taken up modeling."

Regina stepped out of her mother’s embrace. “Mother,” she said quietly. “We’ve been through this, time and time again. Teaching was your dream for me, not mine.”

"It is a profession. Modeling is not."

"Teaching is fine but I wanted to travel, to see the world, I will still pursue it…"

"It can also give you trouble." Cora huffed out a breath. "Men will pray on you, my darling. Will you be strong enough to resist them?"

Regina knew she was coloring. She swung away from her mother’s questioning eyes. “I’m not a fool mother. I have lasted long enough in that career and I know how to take care of myself.”

"You think you do. But if a man comes along with soft words and turns your blood into fire…"

"You said it yourself, Mother. No man can—"

The screen door flew open. Both women swung towards it as Robin stepped into the room, his eyes dark as they lit on Regina.

"There you are," he said with gritted teeth.

"Did you really think you get away from me so easily?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants?

Cora looked from the stranger’s angry face to her daughter’s pale one.

All at one, she understood everything. Why Regina had come back to Granada so suddenly after decades of being away. Why she’d spent the past several weeks in edgy silence.

Why she was so upset today.

This man, this dangerous-looking stranger with the angry eyes, was the reason. Her throat constricted. Foolish girl, she thought angrily. Foolish, foolish girl. She wanted to grab Regina and shake her. Better still, she wanted to grab her and spirit her away… but that wasn’t possible. Regina was a woman now, not a child. Besides, one glance at this man and she knew she would never be able to keep him away from Regina, if he was this determined to find her. Still, a mother could protect her young as long as she was able. She stepped in front of her daughter, looked at the stranger, and spoke as calmly as possible.

"I am Cora Mills."

She saw the surprise register in his hard, handsome face.

"Mills?" His eyes flew past her to Regina.

"You are Regina’s mother then?"

"I am. Yes. And you are?"

"I am Robin Locksley, madam."

Robin Locksley. Cora thought, in surprise. A British man, from his lilted accent, but she thought British people are usually patient and reserved. Her daughter must have done something for this man to be this angry. He smiled, and she saw the lazy charm of a tiger ready to be unleashed.

"I am a guest of the Spencers."

He took her hand, brought it to his lips. Cora told herself she was too old and too wise to be influenced by tigers.

"Pardon me, but guests of the Spencer family—"

"Perhaps I should have been more specific. I am not a guest, I am a client."

"Yes. Of course. Nevertheless—"

Regina stopped Cora.

"Go away, Robin." she said coldly. Robin folded his arms over his chest.

"Is that your solution to everything? To run?"

"I’m not running. I’m simply asking you to leave."

"No."

"Coming after me was pointless. I’m not interested."

"In what?" His smile was cool. "I don’t recall making any offers."

Regina jerked up her chin.

"Will you just—just climb into that fancy plane of yours and fly back to New York? Or better yet, fly back home to England."

He sneered. “I intend to. After things are settled.”

"Things are already settled. I thought I made that very clear."

"I thought so, too." His smile tilted. "Until a few minutes ago, on that mesa."

"What mesa?" Cora said suspiciously.

"Regina, what is he talking about?"

"We—we rode up to Crested Butte." Regina cleared her throat.

"And—and we had a discussion…" Robin laughed. She looked at him, eyes snapping, now dark with unspoken anger too. Then she brushed past her mother, grabbed his arm and tugged him toward the door.

"I’ll be back, Mother."

"When?" Cora put her hand to her throat.

"Regina, dear… don’t do anything foolish."

"I’ve already done as many foolish things as I ever intend to do," Regina said, with a brittle laugh.

"Don’t worry mother, I’m done playing the fool."

But as the screen door swung shut behind them, and she felt Robin’s arm slide possessively around her waist, Regina had a terrible feeling that her words were nothing but empty promises….

Robin marched Regina away from the house, his arm encircling her waist like a band of steel.

"Let go of me," she demanded.

Robin answered by tightening his hold. Regina cursed and tried to break free but he was bigger and stronger, and angry enough to be formidable.

He had a lot of nerve! She was the one who had the right to be angry. He had followed her to Texas, made her look foolish in front of Albert Spencer, her employer, made her look even more foolish in front of her very own mother…

"Are you deaf?" she hissed furiously.

"I told you to let go!"

"When were done, milady," he said coldly, his endearment now being used as mockery to her. "Then, I will let you go."

"Don’t call me that, I said."

"Then stop behaving like this, Regina."

"You can’t do this!"

"I already am."

"Damn you, Robin—"

"And it is improper for a well bred lady to use such vulgarities."

"A well-bred…" Regina laughed. "My mother did taught me to be a refined, young lady but I can kick your ass and I have tamed wild stallions and horses so don’t you underestimate me, and if I want to curse you, I will."

"Yes, but you don’t get to be all of these when you are with me."

"I’m not with you! I’m being dragged along by you, as if I were a—a package. And I don’t like it."

He stopped and spun her toward him. She could see a muscle flexing in his jaw. The blue yes that could burn hot as flame were now icy with anger.

"Do you wish to draw everyone’s attention to us?" Regina slapped her hands on her hips.

"Me, draw everyone’s attention to us?!"

She tossed her head; her dark hair flew around her head like a raven’s wings. Robin fought the desire to sink his hands into that dark silk, cup her face and kiss that sullen anger from her lovely mouth. She was beautiful, yes, she always is, but she was behaving like a brat and he was tired of it. He was tired of chasing after her, too, from New York to Texas, from a windswept mesa to the Spencer kitchen. If she had something to say to him, let her say it. He stepped closer to her.

"I am pleased you find my comments amusing."

He moved toward her again and saw the faintest flicker in her eyes. Good, he thought grimly. She looked like she was afraid of what he might do next. Let her me. Maybe then he’d be able to get her to tell him what in the hell was going on, why she’d left him because yes, he wanted to know the reason. He was entitled to know it—especially after the way she’d kissed him a little while ago. A woman who gave herself to a man in a kiss was not a woman who should be running away from him.

"As for drawing attention to us—if you would please just behave yourself."

"You mean, if I would just let you order me around, don’t you? Have me fall into step next to you? Or maybe walk two paces to the rear?"

Robin’s eyes narrowed. He reached out for her wrist and tugged her to within an inch of his body.

"Lower your voice and walk beside me like a lady."

She poked a finger into his chest.

"You’re the one who’s behaving not as a gentleman you should be!"

He looked at her finger, then at her.

"Do not poke at me," he said quietly.

"How about you not telling me what do do?" "Regina. I am warning you—"

"And I am warning you, Robin. Don’t you dare—"

Her angry protest ended in a shriek as Robin picked her up, dumped her over his shoulder like a sack of laundry, and strode toward the stable…

Regina couldn’t believe Robin was doing this, that he’d grabbed her, tossed her over his shoulder, and marched away with her.

"Are you crazy? Put me down!" He answered by shifting her weight and clamping his arm more tightly behind her knees.

"Put—me—down!" Regina pounded her fists against his back.

"Put—me—"

"Uh, mister, you need some help here?"

Regina saw a pair of familiar-looking, beaten-up boots come into view.

"Who is that? Leroy? Is it you? Leroy, tell this idiot to put me down!"

"No." Robin said politely, "Thank your, Sir, I am doing just fine."

"He’s not doing fine! He’s—he’s kidnapping me!"

"Don’t look like much of a kidnap to me," Leroy said, after a moment that Regina suspected had probably included a wink of the eye from one man to another.

"The lady seems to have had a bit too much sun." The stable doors loomed ahead. Robin shouldered them to open; Leroy reached out a hand and held them ajar.

"She’ll be alright as soon as I get her into the shade."

"I will not be alright! I am all right! Leroy? If you don’t let this—this idiot to put me down—"

"Thank you for your assistance, Leroy."

"Think nothin’ of it, Sir." The foreman stepped back. The doors swung shut and Regina and Robin were alone in the shadowed, silent stable.

Robin dumped her on her feet. Memories of the times when she was younger and she and Daniel would go here, memories of her long lost first love… she spun toward the door but he held her and pinned her against the wall, and planted a spread hand on either side of her. He looked at her and frowned.

"You are pale," he said. She probably was. Hanging upside down had done something to her stomach. She took a couple of deep breaths before she answered him.

"Let’s not waste time on solicitude, okay? What do you want, Robin? Why did you car me around like a—a sack of feed?"

"I carted you around, as you so charmingly put it, because there was no other way to gain your attention, and I’m sorry I had to."

Regina slapped her hands on her hips and blew a dangling strand of dark hair off her forehead.

"Yes, well, you’ve certainly gained my attention, and the attention of every other human being on this ranch! Maybe it doesn’t bother you that I’ll be the topic of conversation in the bunkhouse for the next umpteenth evenings, but it sure as hell bothers me!"

"I suppose that is true." Robin’s mouth twitched.

"It will make for some talk among the men."

"Damned right. Its hard enough to get respect from a bunch of grungy cowboys—"

"Any man who shows you lack of respect will have to answer to me," Robin said, his voice suddenly cold and hard.

"I didn’t mean respect as a woman, I meant respect as a horse trainer." she said with a deep sigh.

A horse trainer. His elegant Regina. Robin couldn’t help but smile.

"What’s so funny?" Her eyes narrowed. "I am an excellent trainer. Ask Albert, if you don’t believe me."

"Oh, I believe you. I quite admire you about it. It is only that I would not have thought a woman whose lovely face graces magazine covers would prefer to train horses."

"That just shows how little you know me," Regina said with a bitter scowl. "I never intended to model forever. I just—I wanted something different for awhile, that’s all."

"And now you will train horses?" She nodded, and Robin smiled again.

"You’re right, milady. I did not know this other side of the woman who is my lover. And I intend to know more."

Color flooded her face.

"I am not your lover. Not anymore." Robin lifted a hand to her face.

She would have jerked away from his touch but he clasped her chin, tracing the arc of her cheekbone with his thumb gently. It wasn’t fair that such a simple gesture should still make her catch her breath.

"Don’t—don’t do that," she said quickly, hoping he did not notice the hitch of her breath.

"Do what?" A muscle flickered in his jaw. He stepped closer, bent his head, nuzzled the damp strands of hair from her temple.

"Do what, milady?" he whispered, and took her mouth with his.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants? 
> 
> A/N: I am really excited for the next chapter though and I do not have a beta so all mistakes have always been mine

Robin’s mouth closed over Regina’s.

For a heartbeat, she gave herself up to the heat and excitement of the kiss, but this was exactly why she’d left him, because he’d still had this power over her, even though he’d been getting ready to leave her.

Where was her pride? Her self-respect? She twisted her face away from his.

"Stop it," she said, in a shaky whisper.

He held her and turned her face gently to his. His eyes were hot coals, his mouth a think line of sensuality. He looked as he always did when he wanted her, and just seeing that need in his face had always made every pleasure point in her body throb in response. From the start, this was how it had been between them. All Robin had to do was look at her this way, no matter where they were, and she would feel the pull of his desire deep inside. She had never been able to resist him, never wanted to resist. Being in Robin’s arms, in his bed, made her feel alive. That was what was so dangerous about him, that he could do this to her, even now, when she knew she didn’t want to be just another woman, passing through his life…. Regina gasped, for breath, wrenched free, and jammed her hands against his chest.

"I don’t want you to kiss me," she said. "Not anymore."

A quick smile flashed across his handsome face. “Liar,” he said softly.

He bent his head, put his lips to her throat. She felt the tickle of his stubble and beard. Heat sizzled through her again. He whispered her name across her skin and bent her back over his arm, his teeth nipping lightly at her flesh, and she moaned, clasped his head, arched back so he could reach her breasts. Oh, it was wonderful to be in his arms again, to feel his hard body against hers. All these weeks, without his touch, without his kisses, without him. She’d been so lonely. How many times had she been awakened in the night, her body on fire for his possession? Robin, she thought, Robin, I love you…….

The shock of it swept through her like a tidal wave. No. She didn’t love this man. She couldn’t. She wouldn’t. She was a toy to him. A conquest. He only wanted her because she’d had the courage to do what no other woman had done—she’d left him. The last thing she would do was give him that power over her heart again.

"No!" she cried against his mouth, and fought him, really fought him, the arms that held her, the kisses that drugged her, until, finally, he lifted his head, and stared at her through eyes blurred with passion.

"Regina?" he said thickly. "Milady, what’s wrong?"

"You," she said, her voice trembling. "You’re what’s wrong. Do you really think you can—you can turn up in my life and manhandle me?"

"Manhandle?" Robin’s eyes narrowed.

"Is that what you call it when I take you in my arms to make love?"

"It isn’t love. Its—it’s you trying to seduce me."

"I see." His mouth twisted, as if the words he spoke tasted bitter.

"I manhandle you, and I seduce you. Is that what you think?"

Regina wrapped her arms around herself. The stable was filled with the heat of the horses, and having Robin’s arms around her had always been more then enough to ward off any chill before. But now she was cold, icy cold, with the realization that she loved a man who could never love her.

"Yes," she said, and looked straight into his eyes. "I do. That’s why I left you, Robin. You wanna know why, here’s why. I was bored. I admit it, it was fun and exciting at first, that whole British lover thing, but after a few months, it—it grew old. I knew it was time for a change, and—"

"Stop it. Okay. I understand, Regina. I’ll keep away from you from here on."

And then he strode away from the stable…

She had mucked out the stalls and forked in fresh straw bedding for the horses she and Robin had ridden, then started brushing the other horses in their stalls. One of the hands wandered in while she was working, watched for a while, then offered to take over. It was Henry, Albert’s grandson.

"Thank you," she’d replied politely. "But I’m perfectly capable of doing the job."

He was so young, not more than twelve but he was already helping in their ranch.

"Yes, ma’am I know you can. I just thought—"

"Don’t think," she’d snapped. "You shouldn’t be doing this for me,"

Just remembering how she’d spoken to the boy made her cringe.

"I’m sorry," she’d said quickly, and the boy had said it was okay, she didn’t have to apologize, but it was a lie. She wished she could go back in time and snip out her tongue, rather than say anything so mean to the kid. He had always been nice to her ever since she came back to the ranch. And there she was being ornery.

And it was all Robin’s fault.

It had been difficult enough, gaining the respect of a bunch of cowboys, especially after half of them had seen her face in magazines, advertising everything from lipstick to automobiles. But she’d done it, showing them what Spencer had remembered, that she had a natural touch with horses. She learned from the best, from Daniel. The stable boy. Bittersweet memories came to her mind. It was the reason why she even left this place. He died while riding a wild horse. All she holds onto now are the things he had thought her—

Robin had ruined everything now.

She’d have to work twice as hard now to erase what at least some of them had seen—Robin carrying her off like a prize…

Carrying her here, into the quiet shadows, where he’d have made love to her, endless love, where he’d have buried himself deep within her, rocked her and rocked her until she cried out his name—

The horse she was grooming whinnied its displeasure. She’d stopped brushing him; her hand lay still against his withers. Regina blinked and looked into the big, dark eyes. More, those eyes seemed to be saying, it felt so good to be stroked…

"Stop it," she said. The animal snorted and Regina made a sound that wasn’t quite a laugh.

"Sorry sweetheart. I was scolding myself, not you."

She rubbed the velvet muzzle, left the stall and let herself out of the barn, out into the afternoon. The hot afternoon… The world spun; the path dipped under her feet.

"Hey," a voice said, and a pair of arms went around her. Not Robin’s, even as everything grayed, she knew it wasn’t he who’d caught her.

"Miss, Mills, you okay?" Regina’s vision cleared. It was Henry who’d caught her before she could faint. He was looking at her as if she might break apart.

"I’m fine, thank you Henry." Her voice was weak; she could tell from the look on the boy’s face that her words didn’t assure him anymore than they assured her.

"Really," she said and managed a quick smile. "I’m all right." The boy frowned, let go of her but kept a hand out as if she might sink to the ground.

"You sure?" She nodded. A mistake, because the simple action made her stomach rise into her throat.

"Yes," she said, and swallowed hard. "The sun—" she gestured at the blue, hot sky and bright yellow disk blazing against it. The kid nodded.

"Yeah, it can really get to you, if you ain’t used to it."

"I’m used to it," Regina said. "I spent my days as a kid here. Why is it everyone seem to think they know all there is about me, when actually…"

Henry was looking at her as if she’d lost her mind. Maybe she had, she thought. “Thank you, Henry.” she said briskly, and headed for the house before the world turned gray again, which was exactly what it was threatening to do.

* * *

"Regina! Are you all right?" Cora was standing in the doorway, holding open the screen door. Regina brushed past her and headed for the sink.

"Oh, hell," she murmured as she opened the cold-water tap.

"I suppose everyone on the ranch saw me trip over my feet!"

"Here, dear." Cora bustled to the sink, snatched up a dish towel and soaked it in the spill of icy water. "Put this on your forehead and sit down."

"I’m fine, mother."

"Good. Now, sit down."

"Honestly, I’m okay."

"Must you argue about everything?"

Cora took her daughter’s arm, led her to the big oak table, gently pushed her into a chair.

"Just sit here and let me take care of you." Regina sighed. The truth was, her knees still felt as if they were made of noodles and there were little black dots dancing in front of her eyes.

"Thank you." Cora clucked her tongue. "And it is not necessary for a daughter to thank her mother. Here. Drink this."

Regina took the glass from her hand.

"Orange juice?"

"Yes. With sugar added, the way you liked it when you were small."

"The way you wouldn’t let me drink it."

Regina said, with a little smile. She sipped the cold, sweet liquid, felt it slide down her throat, where it seemed to collect in a blob too large to deal with. She swallowed very carefully and put the glass down.

"Too much sugar?"

"No. I just…It’s the sun, mother. I feel a little nauseous."

"Ah. Well, take tiny sips, dear. Have you eaten anything today. I know you didn’t touch your breakfast… What is it?"

Regina could feel the sweat on her forehead turning to icy beads.

"Please. Don’t talk about breakfast."

Cora turned and looked at her daughter. She drew out a chair and sat down across from her.

"Did you feel sick then, too?" she asked softly.

"This morning, I mean." Regina nodded.

"A little actually, I’ve been feeling a little queasy lately."

She brought the glass to her lips and took a cautious drink.

"I guess Henry was right."

"Henry?"

"He caught me before I could pass out." she sighed and smiled at her mother over the rim of her glass.

"He said it took time to get used to the heat and I said I didn’t even have to get used to it, that I’d grown up here. But I’ve been away for so long…"

"Long enough to have involved yourself with a man like Robin Locksley."

Regina looked up. Her mother’s expression was unreadable, but her dark brown eyes were flashing.

"Mother," she said carefully, "I don’t want to discuss Robin."

"No. I’m sure you do not." Cora got to her feet, took a cloth from the sink and began briskly wiping down the counter top.

"What girl would wish to discuss her lover to her mother?"

"I’m not a girl anymore. And Robin’s not my lover."

"Not anymore your lover, but surely, he was."

"That’s the operative word, Mother. Was. Robin isn’t anything to me, not anymore."

"No?" Cora tossed the cloth into the sink and put her fists on her hips.

"Then, what is he doing here, huh?"

"He came to buy horses." Cora barked out a laugh.

"Horses? You cannot be so blind, sweetheart. He came here for you."

"If he did, he’s wasting his time."

Regina pushed back her chair and stood up.

"I don’t want him."

"A woman does not turn her back on a man like that. He is the kind who leaves a woman to weep into her pillow, alone."

"That’s so old-fashioned it makes me…sick," Regina groaned, and ran for the bathroom.

Cora gripped the edge of the sink. She closed her eyes, as if in supplication, though she feared her prayer was already too late.

* * *

Night had fallen on Granada. Heat lightning lit the sky as thunder mumbled threateningly from the hills. Regina sat before the TV in her small apartment behind the tack room, just off the stable, and clicked mindlessly through the channels.

_"The apartment ain’t much,"Albert had said when he’d hired her, "but you can have it, if you want."_

She’d wanted. Otherwise, she’d have had to share her mother’s quarters and that would have meant that Cora would have known that sometimes she spent half the night staring sightlessly at the television.

Lightning rent the sky; thunder pealed again, faster and closer than before. The storm was coming nearer. Maybe it would bring an end to the relentless heat. Maybe then, she’d be able to sleep. Regina sighed, clicked on the remote onto an ancient I Love Lucy rerun and sat back on the sofa. She smiled slightly; she’d seen this episode before. Lucy and Ethel were struggling to keep pace with a conveyor belt of chocolate candies. Just the sight of Lucy downing all that chocolate made Regina feel queasy. She clicked the remote off. Except for the growl of thunder, Granada was still. She dropped the remote on the coffee table and got to her feet. She was wearing an over-sized T-shirt and a pair of cotton panties, her favorite bedtime attire now that she wasn’t sleeping with—now that she was here, on the ranch. The cotton was the coolest thing to wear and she didn’t have to worry about looking sexy enough to appeal to—to anyone. She realized now that she’d made a conscious effort to do that, toward the end of things, once she’d become aware of how much longer Robin had been with her than he’d been with any other woman.

_"Must be something special about you," one of the girls she worked with had teased. Regina had never thought about how long their affair would last before her colleague’s words. But maybe she was an exception, How he lets her come to his business trips, abroad or around the state, but she was never introduced as his "girlfriend" and after that, it was all she could think of, and after a while, when Robin had started breaking an occasional date, when she’d catch him watching her with a funny look on his face, she’d upped what she thought of as the glamour quotient. More silk nightgowns, new perfume…_

What an idiot she’d been!

She then went into the tiny kitchen, luxuriated in the blast of icy air as she opened the freezer compartment and dumped a handful of ice cubes into a glass. Her mother was right, she thought, as she filled the glass with water. Granada’s well water was cool and delicious. It was just that she’d grown accustomed to drinking bottled water when she moved to New York. She’d grown accustomed to lots of things while living in the city. The noise for instance. When she first returned to Granada, she’d had difficulty sleeping without any accompanying backdrop of traffic sounds. Mostly, she’d had trouble sleeping without Robin. Without his arms around her; without her head on his shoulder. Without him waking her in the night to kiss and caress her before it was time to leave her in the morning. He’d wanted to move her to an apartment nearer to his, but she’d refused.

_"I pay my own rent."_

She’d said _._ It was true, she’d wanted to hang on to her independence… but after a while, if he’d asked her to move in with him, not to move in near him, she’d have done in a heartbeat. The truth, the naked truth, was that she’d wanted him to love her, and he didn’t. He wouldn’t. He’d been upfront about it, _they_ were upfront about. The tragedy was she had fallen in love with him.

The rain finally arrived, pounding against the tin roof like a tap dancer gone crazy. Lightning flashed through the kitchen; thunder rolled overhead. The lights blinked once, twice, then went out.

Regina jumped, then gave a shaky laugh. A storm was only a storm. There was nothing to be afraid of— The door flew open. She screamed, swung toward it and saw a figure silhouetted against the lightning-torn sky. It was Robin. Robin soaked to the skin, looking enraged and dangerous and gorgeous enough to stop her heart.

"Damn it all to hell, Regina," he growled, and he stepped inside, slammed the door shut and closed onto her and into his arms…


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants? 
> 
> A/N: I guess this is what you call the make up sexy!times :) Okay here goes *goes away now and hides*

The storm raging outside, raw and uncontrolled, was reflected in Robin’s eyes.

He had always been a passionate lover. Still, Regina sensed that he’d withheld a part of himself, never lost control, and that was good. He was also patient and always kept his calm. She only saw him that angry and enraged today.

Him, being in control helped her keep her own emotions leashed.

Sometimes when they’d made love, she’d felt as if she were trembling on the brink of eternity, that one more touch, one more kiss, would turn her inside out. She’d known better than to let that happen… but now, as he gathered her in his arms, she knew he was going to demand everything, offer everything…

And she would let it happen.

Thunder boomed over Granada as Robin’s arms closed, hard, around her. His eyes filled with passion. She could smell desire on him, a hot, clean, masculine scent that sent her pulse rocketing.

"Regina," he said, and he put his hand in the neckline of her shirt, and ripped the cotton fabric from her throat to the hem. His gaze dropped to her naked breasts and she felt her nipples lift and swell in response.

"Robin," she whispered, and he caught her mouth with his, took it with such need that she swayed toward him. He cupped her breasts in his hands, his thumbs stroking the crests.

"Tell me that you want me," he said thickly, his voice hoarse. "that you want this."

She rose toward him, eyes closed, lips parted, her heart thundering in her ears.

"Yes," she said. "Yes, yes, yes…"

Robin dropped his hands to her hips, yanked down her panties, tore them free of her ankles.

A jagged streak of lightning splattered the room with light and she saw his face, exulted in what she saw there, in what she was doing to him.

She reached for his belt but her fingers wouldn’t obey quickly enough and he brushed her hands gently aside, tore his soaked T-shirt over his head, undid his belt, stripped away his clothes until he was as naked as she.

Regina’s breath caught.

He was as beautiful as she’d remembered, his body muscled and magnificently male.

"Robin," she whispered, and touched him. He groaned when her hand closed around him, said something so explicit that her knees almost buckled.

"Is that what you want, milady?" he growled. "Is it what you want me to do?"

"Yes," she said, almost a plea. "please, yes…"

Robin’s fingers wound through hers. He lifted her hands, pinned her to the wall with his weight, her arms outstretched to her sides as he bent his head and kissed her, his mouth devouring hers, his teeth nipping at her flesh, giving her pain, giving her pleasure, giving her what she’d longed for, all these lonely weeks.

Regina whimpered, moved against him, lifted her hips, ground her pelvis against the hard ridge of his desire. Robin groaned. She was killing him but if he had to die, he would die willingly, so long as it were like this…

This was the woman he’d never been quite able to touch, the one he’d sensed was hidden inside the cool, elegant, outer shell. She’d always been responsive and passionate. Still, he’d had the feeling she’d held back some part of herself, that she’d never quite let him inside her soul, yet—

Tonight, he knew she was holding nothing back. And neither would he.

He lifted her in his arms, she wrapped her legs around his hips, and he entered her on one long, hard, exquisite thrust. She cried out his name, and he kissed her lips while he took her closer to the edge of the chasm that loomed before them.

"You are mine," he said, his voice rugged, as he kissed her neck, her jawline.

"Do you hear me, Regina, you’re mine,"

"Yes," she said brokenly, "yes, yes…" He moved, moved again, and again until she gave a high, shrill cry and shattered in his arms.

"Robin," she sobbed, and he groaned, buried his face against her throat, and emptied himself into her sweet, silken warmth…

The sound of thunder receded, lightning painted a distant glow on the horizon. The hall lamp flickered, once, twice, then came on.

Regina, still locked in Robin’s arms, sighed with contentment. Her head fell forward, onto his shoulder. She knew she ought to ease herself from his embrace, that he had to be drained as she was, but she didn’t want to end this moment. She had never felt so close to him before, or so filled with happiness.

"Milady," his breath whispered against her ear. "Forgive me. I should have taken you slowly, but I wanted you so badly, I couldn’t help myself…"

"Don’t apologize," she said softly. "It was the same for me."

His arms tightened around her.

"Was it?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

It was a dangerous admission, one that left her vulnerable to him, but what was the sense in pretending, after what had just happened? He kissed her with almost unbearable tenderness. Slowly, he let her slide down his body until her feet touched the floor.

"I missed this," he said.

This. Regina thought. He had missed this, not her. Suddenly she was aware of how wanton she must look, of how she’d behaved. She drew back a little, arms crossed over her breasts.

"Robin," she swallowed dryly. "I think—I think you should leave…"

"Please, don’t hide yourself from me," he said softly. He held her wrists and gently brought her arms to her sides.

"You are so beautiful, Regina. I could never tire of looking at you."

Color flooded her face. She wanted to tell him she never tired of looking at him, either, but then she might tell him too many things, none of which he wanted to hear.

"Milady. Please, tell me, why did you leave me?"

Because I fell in love with you, she thought, but she knew better than to say it.

"I almost went crazy when you disappeared. I thought something had happened to you, if somebody had hurt you or anything, that you were ill…"

"I’m sorry. I should have left a note."

"You should not have left me at all," he said roughly. He swept her into his arms and carried her down the hall to the bedroom. "Never mind all that. I have found you again. That’s what matters now."

Gently, he lowered her into the bed. “But, I want you to know that I understand.”

She looked up, his eyes were dark blue and unreadable as he came down to the bed beside her.

"You do?"

"You felt you were losing your freedom, milady."

He took her in his arms, held her close and kissed her.

"It was the same for me. I felt the same…"

God, her heart was going to break. Silly, she told herself, she was being so silly. Robin had confirmed her suspicions. He’d been getting ready to end their affair.

"Am I right, Regina?"

"Yes," she said forcing the word past the lump in her throat.

"But we were both wrong." He kissed her, his tongue stroking gently against hers. "After you left, I realized I was wrong, that we were not ready to end this thing between us." He smiled. "I am sure, and now I’m sure that you know it too."

Regina felt torn between laughter and tears. She’d run away because that seemed easier than having Robin walk out of her life, but leaving him had only sparked more of his desire for her. She knew it was time to tell him the truth, not that she loved him—never that—but that he was wrong, that she really wanted to end their affair—

Robin kissed her, bent his head to her breasts. She felt the quickening of not just her body but of her heart as he made love to her again with such sweet tenderness that, at the end when she felt herself shiver, her body tremble and and felt tremors all over, she could do nothing but weep…


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants? 
> 
> A/N: I will just leave this here and I’m only just another chapter or so from nearing the end. As I have said before, I already had this planned out and this is the first fic in years I will get to finish so all the kudos in AO3 and insights makes my heart swell and even the anon asks here :D and unless if some of you likes an epilogue of some sort then… I think I can arrange for that and again I apologize if I wrote Robin too cocky and arrogant and that if Leroy here left you in bad taste :”(

Dawn was just painting the sky when Robin awakened.

Regina lay in the curve of his arm, her head on his shoulder, her hand over his heart. He took her hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. She sighed, murmured something in her sleep, snuggled closer.

Robin glanced out the window. The sun would show itself soon, as it began to rise over the hills that rimmed Granada. People would be out and about. He knew it was tome to get up, get dressed, and make his way back to his guest room at the main house. That was what his mind told him. His heart told him something else, that what he really wanted was to make love again to the woman in his arms and then go out the door with her so everyone on the ranch, everyone in the world knew that she belonged to him, and he belonged to hers…

Robin frowned.

Carefully, he eased his arm out from beneath Regina’s head, sat up, and swung his legs to the floor. Where had that idiotic thought come from? She didn’t “ _belong_ " to him. He didn’t " _belong_ " to her. He didn’t like that kind of thinking. Neither did she. That was why she’d left him, because she’d realized, the same as he, that their relationship had become too confining.

She had finally agreed to leave Granada and return to New York with him. She would live with him—temporarily, of course, until she found another apartment. And when their affair eventually ended, it would do so, civilly. It was a sensible plan.

Naked, Robin padded down the hall to the front door. His clothes, and Regina’s, were strewn everywhere. He bent down, picked up her torn T-shirt and brought it to his face. The soft cotton bore the scent of something light and floral and feminine.

Her scent.

How she missed her scent, her soft silky hair, her lips he could not resist to kiss, her body that always respond to his….

Had he really ripped the shirt off her last night? God, what was he thinking? Why had he been doing ridiculous things like this since he came here? Had he taken her against the wall with no preliminaries? He had done such things before with other women; swift, hot sex could be incredibly arousing, but what he’d done last night was different. He hadn’t planned any of it, hadn’t even imagined it. One moment, he’d been pacing his room, his thoughts a blur, her last words to her piercing not just though his ego—this time, it pierced through his heart, and the next thing he knew he’d been striding through the pouring rain, straight to her door, ready to break it down if she didn’t let him in.

What had become all of his control? He thought he might be losing his sanity.

Robin put Regina’s shirt on a chair, and made a mental note to apologize for it later, collected his own clothing and dressed.

Then he reached for the doorknob…

No. He had to see her one last time.

He made his way to the bedroom, paused just outside the door. She was still asleep. Well, he wouldn’t wake her. He’d only go quietly to the bed, press a kiss to her shoulder. Or maybe he’d draw down the sheet, just so he could see her. Maybe he’d take her in his arms, kiss her until she awoke, until her lips parted and clung to his, and then he’d make love to her again, make love to her until she admitted she was his, only his, that she would never belong to another man, because God help him because the thought of her being with another man makes his blood boil and he could never take it…

He took a step back.

Idiotic thoughts again. What was wrong with him? He liked his life just as it was. He was free; he could do what he pleased. Oh, someday, yes, that would change. He would grow older, know it was time to settle down, choose a wife who would be easy to deal with, who would never make him lose his cool and his temper, who would never leave him…

Who would never let him see the depth of her passion for him.

But all he sees is Regina’s beautiful face, how this woman is making him crazy enough as it is, and that one more day without her would make him even crazier than the last few months she disappeared—

He turned away, hurried to the front door and stepped out into the early morning. Something was happening to him, he knows what it is, and it scared the hell out of him…

* * *

 

Regina opened her eyes when she heard the front door close. It was safe, Robin was gone. She wasn’t ready to face him this morning. He’d always been a wonderful lover, but the past hours had left her feeling stripped of all defenses. How many times had she awakened to his caresses? Sometimes back then, she imagined she was dreaming about him, only to open her eyes and find herself in his arms, find him touching her, kissing her, bringing her to climax again and again, with his body, his hands, his lips…

Regina rolled onto her belly, pressed her face into the pillow that still bore traces of his masculine scent. After the last time they’d made love, when she cried and all he could do was kiss all the tears away and held her ever so gently and apologized for everything… he’d told her he wanted to leave Granada by evening and he wants her to come with him.

_"I can’t," she’d said, and she’d felt him stiffen._

_"Why can you not?, this thing between us—"_

_"Damn it," she’d said, before she could stop herself._

_"Don’t call it that!"_

_"Call it what you will, milady. But I won’t be leaving here until you come with me."_

_"It isn’t easy. I have a job here."_

_"Albert will just have to replace you."_

_"Thank you."_

_She’d pushed free of his arms and turned away from him._

_"It’s lovely to know you think I’m so easily replaced."_

_Robin had laughed as he rolled her onto her back._

_"If you were, would I be here?"_

_It wasn’t exactly the answer she’d longed for but it was more than she’d ever hoped to get from him. Slowly, she relaxed in his arms._

_"Then there’s my apartment." He nuzzled the sheet down, exposing her breasts._

_"What about it?"_

_"I don’t have one. I gave it up when—"_

_Her breath caught._

_"Don’t do that." She stopped him as he was slowly kissing one of her nipples, and gently suckling on it. She was torn._

_"Why not?" Robin asked, still continued to do so._

_"Because—because I can’t think. I was trying to tell you that I have no place to live…"_

_"You will move in with me." At first, she’d thought she’d misunderstood him. Hadn’t they just discussed the importance of not feeling trapped?_

_But Robin flashed a smile so smug and arrogant she knew she’d heard him correctly._

_"That’s impossible." she’d said._

_"Nothing is impossible, milady."_

_He’d said softly, and then kissed her, moved against her, and she’d been lost to everything but him._

But he was wrong. Some things were impossible, and living with him certainly topped the list. Did he really think he could arrange everything to suit himself?

Regina flung back the sheet and sat up. It was a big mistake. Cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Nausea roiled through her. She reached the bathroom just in time. This was becoming ridiculous. She was always tired, and she was starting to hate morning because almost each one began the same way…

The sheer impossibility of the thought took her breath away.

Cautiously, she put her hand over her belly. No it was the same, still flat, as it had always been. She brushed her teeth, splashed cold water on her face, scrambled into her robe, and went to the little desk in the kitchen. It wasn’t really worth checking but she’d check, anyway. Her appointment book was in the top drawer. She took it out, thumbed back a few months. There was a little red check on the 10th of April, another on the 10th of May, but where was the check for June, or July? And August. What about August? the 10th had come and gone, and the 11th…

"Regina, sweetheart, are you there?"

She turned to the door, opened it. The sun was blinding; she could feel its heat on her face but somehow she felt cold. Icy cold, straight down into her bones.

"Regina?" Cora stared at her white face.

"What is is, dear?"

"Mother," Regina whispered.

"Oh mother, I think I’m pregnant." Cora staggered as if she’d been struck.

This is what she’d feared, what she’d refused to acknowledge.

"No," she said, "no, it cannot be."

"I—I was with him only twice," Regina whispered "before I went on the pill…"

"All it takes is once," Cora said coldly.

"Is this man, this British, who did this to you?"

"It isn’t Robin’s fault."

It wasn’t. They’d talked about contraception, discussed if she wanted to take care of it, or if she wanted him to use condoms.

_"I’m on the pill,"_ she’d had told him, because she hadn’t wanted anything to separate her from Robin’s possession, but she’d lied—she’d had to go out and get a prescription. There’d been no reason for her to have been taking the pill. She’d only slept with a couple of men in her life, Daniel, and Graham, and that was so long ago, before Robin.

Her tears came hotter and faster. Cora held out her arms. Regina went into them, sobbing.

"Are you certain, dear?"

"I haven’t had a period in three months. And I’ve been feeling sick in the mornings, and tired…"

Cora sighed. “I noticed. Still, until you take a test…”

She took a handkerchief from the pocket of her dress and wiped Regina’s streaming eyes.

"Come," she said brusquely, "we will drive to town and get a testing kit. Then we will know what we must do."

An hour later, the two women sat in Regina’s kitchen. Her pregnancy had been confirmed. Regina knew it was crazy but somehow, she felt calmer.

Knowing the truth done that because it was better to face the facts than speculation. Cora on the other hand, was frantic.

"How could you do something so foolish, Regina?"

"I didn’t do it deliberately," Regina said wearily.

"I told you. It just happened."

"It just happened," Cora scoffed. "Well now, something else must happen. Either you will not have this baby, or you will give it up after its born."

"No," Regina said sharply. "I will never do any of those things."

She said with conviction. She will take care of this baby, and love it as much as she love its father—

"Then you will go to your lover and demand he marry you."

Regina gave a bitter laugh. “That’s out of the question.”

"I will speak to him, then. I will tell him that he must face his responsibilities…"

"No!" Regina leaped to her feet. "You don’t understand, mother. I—I love Robin."

"Then, what is the problem, sweetheart?" Cora’s expression softened.

"Many babies are born nowadays before marriage. It’s not right, but—"

"I love him, but he doesn’t love me"

"If he was a decent man, he will do what he must. He will marry you, or at least he will agree to support you and the child."

"He is decent. And he probably would offer to do the right thing."

Regina’s voice broke.

"But I don’t want to trap him into a marriage he doesn’t want, or a relationship that will stretch on endlessly into the future. I love him too much to force him into anything like that."

Cora’s mouth thinned.

"You are a fool, my dear. How will you manage on your own? How will you support your baby?"

"I’ll stay here then, on Granada, training horses. Or I’ll go to a University like you always wanted me to, and get the degree you want me to have. I’ll find a way."

"You will destroy your life!"

"You said you wanted the best for me."

"I must admit, I have forced you before into a life you don’t want. And now I regret that, you should do what makes you happy."

"Father left us, because he cannot be the man you wanted him to be, mother. And you may think I left too because you wanted things for me, I didn’t want to do, but I completely understand that you just wanted the best for me."

Cora sighed and Regina smiled, despite the tears that glittered in her eyes.

"I’ll be fine, mother." she said softly "I’ve always handled myself, you just wait and see."

And she would be, she thought an hour later, after she’d had a shower, put on her makeup, dressed and turned herself back into the cool, sophisticated Regina Mills of Manhattan.

She’d be fine… and she would have Robin’s child to love. That wasn’t so bad, when she thought about it. All she had to do now was face Robin, and tell him that she had changed her mind about being his “lady” or in the true sense, his mistress.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Outlaw Queen AU - The Runaway Lady 
> 
> Millionaire Robin Locksley wants Regina back to his bed—or is it all he really wants? 
> 
> A/N: So I came back earlier than expected and decided to get on with this already :) This is it, the final one. Thank you dearies for bearing with me on this one and liking this :D Finally a fic I finished after so many yrs! lol. So, without further ado :D

Regina looked for Robin in the stables, but he wasn’t there. She headed up to the house, let herself in through the always-unlocked front door so that she could avoid seeing her mother again, and met Albert, at the top of the stairs.

"Looking for Mr. Locksley?" he said, and grinned.

"Yes. Yes, I am."

"Well, he’s in the guest suite, checking out some paperwork on the fillies he bought." Albert winked. "Man sure does had a good eye, when it comes to the ladies… which reminds me, Miss Mills, Robin says you’ll be leaving us. Got to tell you, I’m sorry to see you go. You are good with the horses."

"Robin spoke too soon," Regina said quickly. "I’m not going anywhere."

"Oh?" Albert jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Well, he made himself clear."

"He doesn’t run my life," she replied, and knocked on Robin’s door.

He opened it, stared at her, then smiled and reached for her hand.

"Milady," he said, and drew her inside.

"Robin, I—I have to talk to - "

Robin shut the door, gathered her into his arms and kissed her. For a moment, she gave herself up to the kiss. Then she put her hands against his chest and pulled away. He looked at her and frowned.

"Regina? What’s wrong?"

"I have something to tell you."

She stepped out of his encircling arms and hoped he couldn’t see the frantic beat of her pulse in her throat. She’d been good at modeling; photographers loved what they called her cool look. It was the look she deliberately set her features to now.

"Do you?"

His voice had an edge to it; she could only imagine how he would sound after she told him she wasn’t returning to New York with him.

"Tell me then, milady. Don’t keep us both in suspense."

She took a deep breath.

"I’ve changed my mind. About going back to New York."

A muscle knotted in his cheek.

"Well, I can accept that. You need a few more days here. You don’t want to leave the ranch, as you say, in the lurch."

"No." her hands were trembling. She dug them deep into the pockets of her gray, silk trousers. "No, you don’t understand. I’m not going back to New York, Robin. I’m not going to—to pick up where we left off."

Robin said nothing. Regina could hear the beat of her own heart, the soft rush of her own breath.

"I see," he said at last. "And the reason for this decision is…?"

"I don’t—" God, she thought, God, please let me get through this.

"I don’t see any point to it." She smiled, though it felt as if her lips were sticking to her teeth.

"I admit that last night was—it was exciting, but that’s only because we’d been apart for a while. We both know that—sooner or later, we’ll be back where we left off before I left, with—with our affair over and both of us wishing to be free…"

"Free," he said very softly. "That is what you wish? To be free of me?"

Tears were starting to rise in her eyes. She damned herself silently for not being able to control her emotions, but with luck, he wouldn’t notice. His face now slowly contorting, so pale beneath his usual reddish tan, that she didn’t think he’d notice anything but the fact that his ego had been hammered again.

"Yes." she lifted her chin. "That’s right, and its better if we end things now, as friends, than if we wait a few weeks, or even a few months, and -"

"As I have said before, you are a bad liar, Regina,"

Robin said and hauled her into his arms…

Regina told herself not to kiss Robin back, but her head wasn’t paying attention to her heart. She not only kissed him, she clung to him, opened her mouth to him, twisted her fingers in his shirt while tears ran down her cheeks. After a long time, Robin drew back, wiped her tears away, kissed some of them dry, and softly caressed her face and then clasped her shoulders.

"You don’t want to leave me," he said softly.

"Yes. I do, I…" He kissed her, again and again, his fingers gently caressing her hair, the other one at her nape, drawing her closer until she moaned softly against his mouth.

"Tell me the truth, Regina. You don’t want to leave me, do you?"

How could she go on lying anymore?

"No," she said almost choking on the word.

"No, oh no, I don’t. I—I—"

Robin took her face in his hands, looked at her with such intensity that she felt she was boring his deep, blue eyes into her soul.

"What is it? Say the words." She shook her head, and turned away from him. She had some pride left. Besides, she had to leave him, before her secret became visible.

"Very well, then." He smiled. "I will say them first."

It was a brave start and a brave smile, but he could feel himself starting to shake, which was downright ridiculous. He was a man who feared nothing, not a ride on the wildest horse or the wildest stock market can deter him, and yet he feared speaking the words in his heart to this gentle, beautiful woman. What if she rejected him? God, it would kill him…

But the words needed saying, it had been overdue. He was trying to fool himself for denying them. He had only admitted them to himself as he’d walked out of her apartment this morning, still seeing her in his mind’s eye, remembering how empty his life had been without those months without her, how it had never been the same, how foolish had he been for driving her away, how she’d wept when he’d made love to her. He knew what he felt. And he was almost sure he knew what she felt…

"Regina." He drew a deep breath. "Regina, I love you."

He thought, at first, she hadn’t heard him…but then he saw the rush of color into her pale face and he felt his heart swell.

"I love you," he said again. "I adore you, milady, I don’t think I can still go on living without you, yes, you are coming home with me, and yes, you are moving in with me." He laughed softly. "I suspect that is the worst marriage proposal in the world, my beloved, but then, I have never asked a woman to marry me before."

Regina laughed. She finally let the tears out that threatened her eyes, but it was now tears of joy, not of sadness or pain. She rose on her toes and held his face, and kissed him.

Robin cleared her throat.

"Is that a yes?" he said nervously. "You do love me?"

"Oh, yes. I love you, Robin. I’ve loved you for so long… and that was the real reason why I left you, because I knew you were going to tell me it was over…"

He shook his head, as he put a finger in her chin.

"I lied to myself, and I had been a fool. My need for you terrified me, so I tried to put you at arm’s length, but it was useless  and foolish and it drove you away."

He drew her to him and kissed her, not just with passion but with love.

"Marry me," he said, and leaned his forehead against hers, while his thumb softly stroked her jawline. Regina’s eyes were closed, she was smiling and she feels like her heart is going to burst with joy.

"Marry me, and tell me you want lots of babies—"

"How soon do you want those babies?" she whispered. His eyes met her, searched out the meaning of her question.

"I’m pregnant," she said, and he pumped his fist into the air, Regina laughed.

"I am going to be a papa!" Robin swept her into his arms. He spun in a circle, she was laughing, her laughter music to his ears, and then he stopped and kissed her with all the love in his heart.

"You will be my joy," he said softly, "for all the days of my life."

"And you will be my love," Regina murmured, "forever."

* * *

 

_**EPILOGUE** _

_**One month after…** _

_They chose the Old Dutch Church at Sleepy Hollow, a town in Westchester County, in New York. Robin had laughed when he asked why she chose to be wed there._

_"Because the Legend of Sleepy Hollow was my favorite book while I was growing up," Regina reasoned._

_"But of course, anything for milady," Robin said, giving her a quick, but sweet kiss…_

_Few of their friends and some of their family attended, with Regina being the only daughter, and Robin, the only son, mostly were their friends._

_They gathered around the church. It was a glass-walled room with a small fountain as its focal point. Water from the fountain ran over the shiny black and gray stones, creating a peaceful sound. Slender ornamental trees provided a soothing touch of green, and oak trees also lined around with some of the leaves turning red and orange, already._

_Promptly at eight, the chapel doors opened. Regina appeared, on the arm of her mother. Robin wore a black, two button groom suit with jacket pants. She wore an exquisite A-line, Taffeta strapless wedding gown with embroidery and court train. The dress was beautiful, as beautiful as the bride herself._

_Robin stood straight and tall. He smiled at her, and she smiled back._

_And, in that instant, he knew he had been waiting for this woman, for this moment for his entire life._

_Regina’s face lit. Still on her mother’s arms, she started towards Robin, and he stepped forward, kissed Cora in her cheek and took Regina in his arms._

_"I love you," he said softly, and she smiled again, her eyes glittering with happy tears._

_The service was brief. The judge spoke of love and commitment, joy and sorrow, of how love was life’s one true constant._

_It was time to speak their vows, and Robin’s best friend, whom he fondly calls ‘Little John’ despite his enormous size, gave the rings, for he was their best man._

_Little John handed him the gold band with a diamond on the middle to put on Regina’s finger._

_It was time to speak their vows._

_"I, Robin Locksley, take this woman, Regina Mills…"_

_"I, Regina mills, take this man, Robin Locksley…"_

_A moment later, the judge smiled._

_"By the rights vested in me by the state of New York," he said, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. Mr. Locksley—Robin—you may kiss your wife."_

_Robin cupped his wife’s face in his hands. Both of them were smiling. Both of them had unshed tears in their eyes._

_"Mrs. Locksley," he said softly. Regina laughed._

_"Mr. Locksley"_

_"I love you," he said. She put her arms around his neck. He lowered his head in hers. And as they kissed, he knew that the words, I love you, could never be enough to tell her what she really meant to him…_

_**Six months later…** _

_Robin spent the night by his wife’s side. He’d brought her two gifts, a plush teddy bear, and a hand-written IOU promising her a new horse when they go back his ranch in England._

_Moments later, a nurse wheeled Regina from her room. Robin went with the gurney as far as they’d let him, holding his wife’s hand, smiling at her, telling her how much he adored her._

_Regina was to deliver the baby in caesarean. A placental abruption occurred last night, she will have to give birth three days early from her supposed due delivery date._

_She was already a little groggy from medication, her voice was slurred but her words were deliberate._

_"I want to go home," she said._

_"To England. I want our baby to grow up in your lovely house up in the hills,"_

_"Right," he said brightly, "Of course, my love,"_

_The gurney stopped. There were massive doors ahead._

_"Sorry, Mr. Locksley," one of the attendants said softly, "this is as far as you can go. Robin bent over the gurney. He put his arms around Regina as best he could and lifted her closer._

_"I will be just here outside, waiting for you and our baby."_

_He whispered. “I love you,” she said. The gurney started moving. The doors opened, then shut. Robin stumbled back against the wall._

_Long minutes later, he made his way slowly to he private waiting room the hospital arranged for the Locksleys._

_Time passed, but surely snails moved faster._

_One minute. Two. Thirty._

_After an hour, which seemed like an eternity, somebody in hospital green appeared in the doorway._

_"How is my wife?"_

_"She is okay,"_

_A sigh of relief came out from him, felt like he was holding his breath for an eternity._

_"And our baby?"_

_"Congratulations, Mr. Locksley, you have a healthy baby girl, you may see them in a bit after we move your wife to her private room."_

_And Robin couldn’t help but feel his heart swell with happiness._

_It was close to sundown._

_Streetlights outside the hospital blinked on._

_It was raining. Inside the hospital, the corridor lights brightened._

_After some time, the attending doctor told him he can already see his wife and their baby._

_He hurried to the room, and into the bed. Sees Regina’s arms with their baby girl, bundled in a sheet of white blanket. She looked up at him, unshed tears in her eyes. He sat beside them, kissed his wife’s forehead, and looked at his baby girl, their baby girl._

_Her eyes were closed, her matte of head, dark as her mothers, and_

_Robin kissed their baby gently on its head, and it squirmed, and Regina laughed, and he laughed too, and put an arm around his wife, and their princess, yes, Regina, she is not only his lady, his wife, but she is his queen now and for life, and now they have a princess._

_"She is as beautiful as her mother," he told him, while he gently pushed away a fallen strand of hair from her face._

_"And we shall call her Zara, because she is our darling princess,_  
 _Robin says._

_"Yes, I like that, our princess, Zara." Regina agreed, looking at her husband with his arms around hers and their princess, their hearts full of joy and love for each other._

_Outside, the rain suddenly stopped, revealing the setting sun._

_Soon, the moon would rise._

_And the lives of Robin and Regina Locksley would start all over again._


End file.
